In the Virtual Universe, at the gathering place for the Star Torch Empire's prodigies.
It was a vast plaza of stars, its ground formed from countless points of starlight.
It looked like the real universe, and every step sent ripples across its surface.
Hundreds of prodigies had already gathered in the plaza.
Most came from the Star Torch Sacred Land and knew one another.
They stood in small groups, chatting, and the whole plaza buzzed with activity.
Whoosh—
When Xu Jingming appeared at the plaza's teleportation point, the noise abruptly died away.
Countless gazes swung toward him, as though trying to see right through him.
Xu Jingming stood tall, his black combat suit outlining his figure.
Lightning seemed to flicker in his deep eyes. Just standing there, he gave off an invisible pressure.
"It's Xu Jingming!"
"The winner of the 65th Competition Zone! He had seven times as many points as the runner-up!"
"He's the one who killed Lei Kuang the moment they met?"
"I heard he's also an Abyssal King in the Abyss Arena, under the codename 'Blood Kill'!"
"..."
Whispers rose and fell through the crowd.
After more than a month, Xu Jingming's identity was no secret.
Everyone knew how terrifyingly strong this prodigy from a Low-level Cosmic Nation was.
Even the sovereign of the Star Torch Empire had gone to recruit him in person.
After the brief hush, someone stepped forward to greet him.
"Thunder Emperor! Remember me? I'm Steve, the runner-up you killed."
A young man in purple battle gear, with strange markings on his forehead, approached first with a warm smile.
Steve was one of the Star Torch Sacred Land's top three Star Brilliance Tier talents.
If not for Xu Jingming, he would have won the 65th Competition Zone.
Yet before Xu Jingming, he kept